Refrigerating apparatus



July 16, 1935. 1 A GR ER 2,008,549

- REFRIGERATING' APPARATUS Filed Dec. 17, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. John A. 6mm

I AT ORNEYJ' July 16, 1935." J. A. GRIER REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 17, 1929 ZSheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR John A. Gner ATTO EYs Patented July 16, 1935 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS John A. Grier, New York', N. Y., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to General Motors Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application December 17, 1929, Serial No. 414,725

11 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and more particularly to a refrigerating system having a valve for controlling the flow of refrigerant, which valve may be actuated from the outside of the system in an emergency without the necessity of breaking into the same. I

An object of the invention is to provide a refrigerant float valve having means to actuate said valve in accordance with refrigerant conditions and also by a magnetic means, inside or outside of the system.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a view, partly diagrammatic and partly cross-sectional of an apparatus embodying features of this invention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal view, partly sectional and partly elevational, of a portion of the system shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross section along 3-3 of Fi 2.

A refrigerant system embodying features, of this system may include a high side, generally designated as 20, and a low side generally designated as 2|. Means, generally designated as 22, may be provided for controlling the flow of refrigerant' from the high side to the low side.

' Means 22 is adapted to control the flow of refrigerant normally in accordance with refrigerant conditions. However, should it be desired to control the valve from the outside of the system, it is possible to actuate the same by magnetic means located inside or outside of said system and thus avoid the necessity of breaking into the system.

More specifically, the high side may include a compressor 30 driven by an electric motor 3|. The compressed refrigerant flows to a condenser 32 and from thence into the float casing 33. A refrigerant liquid level is maintained in the casing 33 by means of a float structure 44 which to refrigerant pressures inthe low side of the system. Preferably the casing 33. is made of non-magnetic material and some portion, or all, of the float structure is made of magnetic material. Thus, as a preferred embodiment, the float ball may be made of sheet steel and may actuate the valve 45 through the medium of a lever 5|, pivoted by means of a pin 52, on the ears 53 which are integral with the base 54, which base, may be 10 pinched under an upset portion 55 of the fitting 56. The condenser 32 may be connected to the casing 33 by means of the fitting 51, somewhat similar to the fitting 56. A gas blow-ofi valve 51a and a sentiment blow-off valve 58 may be secured to w the casing 33. 4

Means may be provided for reseating the valve 45. Thus a cap 60 may be placed above the valve 45 so that a proper tool or rod may be inserted and the valve 45 may thus be tapped or forced 20 down in order to reseat the valve in the fittin 56. The cap 60 may be threadedly engaged with the ring 6| having an extension 62 extending into the casing and being outwardly flanged at 82 inside the casing. The flange $3 of the cap 6i] may 25 form a seal with the lead gasket 64 The casing, 33 may be made of two brass stampings. Thus the cup shaped portion 10 may be spun around the disc-like portion H and may be suitably soldered or welded along the seam 13.

When it is desired to lift the valve 45 for any reason, such as to remove the load of compression from the motor to start it, a magnet may be used. For instance, an electro magnet 15 may be energized above the float' structure 44. This lifts the 35 valve 45, thus equalizing the pressure on the h2g1: side and the low side until the motor can s ar The electromagnet 15 having .preferably a laminated core for use with either D. C. or A. C. 40 current, may be energized by any suitable control. Thus if the invention is to be used'merely as an emergency measure, the magnet '15 may be a nor mally movable magnet 15a energized by manually closing the switch 16. The magnet a. need 45 not be permanently mounted near the casing 33, but may be temporarily placed above the float and energized in case of an emergency when the motor does not start because of a prohibitive pressure.

However, the electromagnet I5 may be energized automatically every time the motor is started by the automatic control. This is particular- ,ly adaptable where a split phase motor is used,

for instance in a sealed in compression unit of the type shown in the drawings where the motor may be sealed in the refrigerant circuit. When the magnet isthus to be energized, the switch 49 may be connected to an automatic split phase motor starting panel of well known construction. The starting panel 80 may be connected by lines 8| and 82 with the main line 83 connected with the source of power. The panel 80 may be provided with the motor posts 83, 84, 85.

These posts may be connected with the terminals 86, 81 and. 88 of a split phase motor within the compressor unit. The posts-84 and 85 are adapted to furnish the starting circuit for the split phase motor, and these posts may be connected with the electromagnet I5. Thus during the automatic starting operation, the starting current is automatically directed to the starting windings of the motor and to the winding of the electromagnet 15. This relieves the pressure differential between the high side and the low side of the refrigerating system while the motor is speeding up. However when the motor has attained its normal speed, the starting windings of the motor and the electromagnet I5, are automatically de-energized by the starting panel allowing the valve 45 to be closed and thus starting the refrigerating operations within the refrigerating system, the motor continuing to run with its normal running windings until stopped by the switch 49.

A starting control which can be used in the starting panel 88 is disclosed in the patent to Everest 887,612, May 12, 1908, to which reference is made merely as one of rnany examples which may be used. v p

' While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A refrigerating system including a valve for controlling the flow of refrigerant said valve having means for actuating it in accordance with refrigerant level conditions within said system and by magnetic means outside said system.

2. A refrigerating system including a high side and a low side, a valve for controlling the flow of refrigerant from the high side to the low side, a float for controlling the operation of said valve and magnetic means for operating said valve.

{LA refrigerating system including a refrigerant liquefying unit, and a refrigerant evaporating unit in closed relation, said refrigerant liquefying unit having an electric motor provided with starting windings and with normal running windings, valve means for controlling the flow of liquid refrigerant from said liquefying unit to said evaporating unit, a float structure for controlling operation of said valve means, and electro-magnetic means for controlling saidvalve means, saidelectro-magnetic means being automatically energized when said starting windings are energized. 4. In a refrigerating system, an intermittently operating prime mover a float valve, and means for automatically opening said float valve in synchronism with the starting period of a prime mover forming an element of said system.

5. In a refrigerating system comprising a high pressure side, a low pressure side and a prime mover, means tending to equalize entirely said high pressure and low pressure sides in synchronism with starting period of said prime mover.

6. Iii a refrigerating system, an element having a casing of non-magnetic material, a float of magnetic material within said casing, a valve operated by said float, a high pressure side and a low pressure side separated by said valve, and magnetic means outside of. said casing for raising said float thereby opening said valve.

7. A refrigerating system including a refrigerant liquefying unit, a refrigerant evaporating unit in closed connection relation, a valve for controlling the flow of liquid refrigerant from said liquefying unit to said refrigerant evaporating unit, a float structure for controlling the operation of said valve, said float structure having magnetic material thereon and a non-magnetic casing adjacent said float structure.

8. A refrigerating system having a high and low from the high side to the low side, means for controlling said valve in accordance withrefrigerant conditions, means constructed of magnetic material for actuating said valve, and a non-magnetic casing hermeticallysealing said'magnetic material in said system, and magnetic means outside said casing for actuating said means constructed of magnetic material.

9. A refrigerating system including a high'side and a low side, a valve for controlling the flow of refrigerant from the high side to the low side, a float for controlling the operation of said valve, said float having magnetic material associated therewith and a non-magnetic casing for said float.

10. In a refrigerating system, a compressor, a condenser for receiving and liquefying refrigerant received from the compressor, a refrigerant circulatory system through which the refrigerant is circulated by said compressor, and a sealed float chamber connected in said circulatory system to receive refrigerant and discharge it into said circulatory system, said float chamber comprising a shell of non-magnetic material and a float therein arranged normally to control the flow of refrigerant through said chamber in accordance with the liquid level in said chamber, said float being formed of magnetic material whereby it may be actuated by magnetic means independently of the liquid level in said chamber.

11. In a hermetically sealed refrigerating system, a compressor, a condenser for liquefying refrigerant received from said compressor, an evapcrating unit, and a sealed float chamber consaid float being formed of magnetic material" whereby it may be'moved by magnetic means disposed exterior of said shell independently of the liquid level in said chamber.

JOHN A. GRIER. 

